iPhone 5's 19-pin connector to make way for headphone jack?
Honey I shrunk the dock connector
It's a new day, it's a new dawn, it's a new iPhone 5 rumour – not all that new, actually, as rumours of the 30-pin dock connector's demise have been around for a while now.
But the latest 'confirmation' comes from Reuters whose two sources tell it that the new, smaller 19-pin port will "make room for the earphone moving to the bottom".
The new suppositions jive with earlier rumours from three anonymous manufacturers who also reckon that the 30-pin port is going the way of the dodo.
Logistics
If it comes to pass, the shrinking of the connector will be a real pain for anyone who has already spent money on iPhone/iPod/iPad-friendly docks – but no doubt there are dollar signs rolling into accessory manufacturers' eyes, slot-machine style.
Perhaps Apple will provide some kind of dock-adaptor like the pointless plastic bases that came with iPods for a time, or perhaps we'll just have to shell out for new speakers and spare chargers and the like.
The plus side is that a smaller connector will leave more room for other technological goodies, or mean a smaller, slimmer handset.
But when oh when will we find out for sure? Although some rumours peg August 7 as the iPhone 5 launch date, we reckon a September announcement is more likely, with the handset going on sale at some point in October 2012.
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From Reuters
Former UK News Editor for TechRadar, it was a perpetual challenge among the TechRadar staff to send Kate (Twitter, Google+) a link to something interesting on the internet that she hasn't already seen. As TechRadar's News Editor (UK), she was constantly on the hunt for top news and intriguing stories to feed your gadget lust. Kate now enjoys life as a renowned music critic – her words can be found in the i Paper, Guardian, GQ, Metro, Evening Standard and Time Out, and she's also the author of 'Amy Winehouse', a biography of the soul star.